The Aquatic Professional

Lifeguard Radio’s on a Tight Budget

On 07/04/2010, in Communication, Resources, by admin

I have been an Amateur Radio Operator for 13yrs and have constantly been amazed at how many thousands of dollars agencies and facilities spend on their two way radio’s that are used for just the basic tower to headquarters communication. Below we will explore a low budget option for basic radio communication.

I understand that there are times when closed private communication is a must, but for everyday use and abuse by staff the option below is awesome!

Marine Band Radio’s

We have recently moved our facility to using waterproof marine radio’s. They are inexpensive (under $200) and very durable. They also are completely waterproof. The brand we have been using is Standard Horizon and they have been great at fixing any issues even when dropped from an 8 foot tower onto concrete.

8 top things to think about when creating your radio plan:

These are made for marine communication so don’t expect long range on land.
Also use them on low power an you should get about 1/2 mile with no problem.
Make sure the channel you use is not assigned to emergencies, channel guide included with radio.
Keep communications professional since these are public frequencies just like family radios.
Get a base station installed so that headquarters is never short a radio.
Plan to replace radios once every two years.
Buy an extra battery pack that uses over the shelf batteries so you can power after a super long day or extensive field work without charging.
Buy the accidental protection plan, usually 10% of the product but worth it’s weight in gold.

Example of Radio:

So let’s get down to the bottom line, how much do these radio’s cost: Around $100-$300 depending on brand, and whether it is a hand held or a base station.

Click Here to support the Aquatic Professional by buying from Amazon.com Standard Horizon STD-HX370S Handheld Marine VHF Radio

There are literally tons of other radio options and inventions, take a look at this video. Please leave a comment below with a link to a picture or video of what you use and how you use it get your lifeguard communication done right!